Fuel-economizer



F. H. HARRIMAN.

FUEL ECONOMIZ'ER. APPLICATION FILED IIAR.17 |9I9 Patented Mar. 3,0, 1920.

/l ll /l l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. HABRIMAN, OF'SOUTH Gril.S'IOITIBURY;CONNEC'ClIlCU'I, ASSIGNOR ONE- HALF TO THOMAS H; SMITH, OFFOB'T HILL, CHESTER, CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mal'. 30, 1.920.

i Application led March 17, 1919. Serial No.. 283,088.

of South Glastonbur in the county of Hartford and State o (lonnecticut, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Fuel-Economizers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in the art may make and use the same.

The invention, as indicated by its title,

relates to an apparatus for effecting an' economy in fuel consumption in gas engines and incidentally to the reduction of carbon de osits inthe cylinders'o-f such an engine.

conomy in fuel is effected by the well known means of supplying a vapor, in conjunction with the gas mixture, to give a more complete combustion to the vaporized The benefits incidentally attained ac- Igas.

' crue from decreasing the carbon deposit and all automatically providing for the consump tion and removal of carbon through the use of the .more perfect mixture which is attained by the steam introduced with the mixture.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple device which will be automatically controlled by the heat developed fromoperation of the engine and will in no way affect the normal operation of the engine.`

and its appurtenant parts when it is 'desired to start the engine.

In other words, the engine will operate without reference to the fuel economizer, under the normal and prescribed gas mix# ture, until sufficient heat is developed to insure introducing to the mixture the requisite quantity of steam to produce the desired results. There is no liability of introducing an excess of moisture in the form of water which will deaden the mixture and prevent easy starting of the engine.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is an illustrative view showing j the application of the device.

lig. 2 is a sectional view through the generator and appurtenant parts.

llig. 3 isa horizontal section through the casing.

Fig. l is a detail cross-sectional View on the line 4-4 of Fig.` 2.

lt is not at all new in the art to provide water or steam in conjunction with the carbureted mixture of fuel oil to enhance ,the

value of the mixture and reduce its tendency to produce av residual carbon scale inthe head and about the valves of an engine. In such devices, so far as known to applicant., provision has not been made for flashing water into steam and controlling this operation by the heat conditions developed by the en ne.

he invention herein disclosed overcomes the objections heretofore encountered, wherein water might be drawn into the mix- .ture to give too high a saturation for roper operation, and where there is liability of producing an over-saturated "condition of moisture when starting the engine.

Briefly, these diiiculties are overcome by utilizing a flash chamber in conjunction with a vacuum chamber, vacuum in which is induced by the suction of the engine at the inlet manifold, and controlling the suction chamber by a thermostatically controlled vent, so that the vacuum of the inlet manifold will be ineffective on the vacuum chamber of the flash generator until a predetermined temperature condition has been attained in the steam generator.

My device differs widely in mode of operation and results from devices heretofore known to me, even those employing a thermostatic control for regulating the flow of water to a steamproduciug. chamber. In my device, the water supply is located below the level tof the vacuum chamber and the vacuum chamber itself is controlled by a thermostat and valve, so that there is no possible liability of water flooding into the steam generator. By arranging the thermostat t0 control a'n air valve. and vent in my vacuum chamber, I avoid placing reliance upon valves for shutting oil or controlling the flow of water, thus making the device most dependable. The suction in my vacuum chamber raises the water from a low level and causes it to drop through a re* stricted water, tube into the flash generator, so long as the thermostat reacts to keep the vvacuum chamber closed against ingress of i trol. It vfurther permits locatingthe Water tank supply below the level of. the vacuum chamber, thereby obviating all liabillty of flooding. l l

Referringto the drawings, thenumeral 1, denotes an engine provided with the usual appurtenances in the way of carbureter, etc.,

and, as illustrated, has an inlet manifold 2,

- communicating with the carbureter and the combustion chamber of the engineJ and an exhaust manifold 3. through wh1ch the exhaust gases pass. lThe interior mechanism chamber 5, which is in the form of a nipple having a nut 6, and an exterior thread so that it may be inserted through au opening in the exhaust manifold 3, of the en ine.

thread into which is screwed a tubular casing 8, which provides, in conjunction with le chamber of the nipple 5, a vacuum chamr 9.

A nipple 10at one side of the tubular casing 8, provides means for the attachment of a pipe line 11, which extends to the' intake manifold 2.

The upper end of the tube 8, is closed by a threaded nipple 12, which nipple supports a delivery tube 13, and has means for the connection of the water pipe line 4.

A passage 14, extends through the nipple 12, from the tube 13, to the pipe line connection 4, so that water passing through the pipe line will draw through the tube 13.

The tube 13, has a contracted nozzle 15, at its lower end so that the water is delivered to the flash chamber in comparatively small quantities, drop by drop. f

The passage 14, communicates with an air vent 16, which vent is controlledby a valve 17. The purpose of the air vent 16, and valve 17 is to either make the suction of the manifold effective for producing a partial vacuum in the vacuum chamber. 9, or to break the vacuum by introducing air through the pipe line and nozzle 4.

rIhe valve 17, is preferably mounted upon a leven" 18, pivoted as at 19, and lwith its outer end connecting through a pivoted link 20, with a thermostatic bar 21. The thermostatic bar 21, is secured tothe outer side of the exhaust manifold 3, in any suitable manner, as by screws .22, and intermediate spacer blocks 23.

It will be quite apparent from the above he generator nipple 5, has an interiorl the suction induced in the intake manifold of the engine will not be effective for producing the requisite vacuum 1n the chaluber 9, to draw up water from the tank W, through the pipe connection 4, and tube 13, tothe flash chamber 5.

Just as soon as the engine has lbeen started and the manifold has become sufficiently heated, the thermostat 10, will re-act, closing the valve 17, and thereby the ain Vent 13, whereupon the suction of the intake man1- fold will produce a partial vacuum in the chamber 9, and one sufficient to draw water from the tank W, into the 4fiash nipple or generator 5.

With the nipple 5, now lnghly heated, drops of water passing through the tube 9,

,will be flashed into steam which will be drawn over by the suction of the intake manifold into said manifold, above the carbureter. Thus, it will be intimately mixed with the gaseous mixture of air and liquid fuel passing to the engine cylinders. This condition will maintain so long as the engine is in operation and sufficient heat is developed in the exhaust manifold and flash nipple 5, to produce the requisite steam.

When the engine is stopped and cooled down, the thermostat -bar 21, through its connections, will open the valve 17, thus venting the system, so that the suction of the intake manifold will not create a sui- ,cient vacuum in the chamber 9, to draw tomatically controlled.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fuel economizer comprising a flash generator heated by the products of combustion ofthe engine and having a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber communicating with the intake manifold of the engine and with a source of Water supply, said Water supply being located below the vacuum chamber and the Water being raised Ato the chamber by the suction of the vacuum chamber, means for breaking the vacuum in said vacuum chamber, and a thermostat for controlling said means.

2. An economizer for gas engines comprising a vacuum chamber communicating with a flash generator and having communication with the inlet manifold of the engine and deriving its heat from the exhaust manifold of the engine, a connection from said vacuum chamber to a source of Water supply located below the inlet manifold, the Water of. said supply being fed to the vacuum chamber only when suction is induced therein, and automatic means con vtrolled by a thermostat for breaking 'the vacuum of the Vacuum chamber,

3. A fuel economizer comprising a flash generator heated by the products of combustion of the engine and having a vacuum chamber, a connection from the `Vacuum chamber to the intake'manifold of the engine, whereby a sub-atmospheric pressure will be maintained in the vacuum chamber when said chamber is closed to atmospheric pressure, a constantly open connection from the vacuum chamber to a source of Water supply, said supply located at a lower level than the economizer, and thermostatically controlled means for breaking the vacuum in said vacuum chamber.

4. In a device of the character described, a generator nipple adapted to be applied to the exhaust manifold ofthe engine, a casing member engaging said nipple and forming therewith Va chamber, a dependent tube projecting through said chamber into thegenerator nipple, a connection from said tube to a source of water supply, a connection from said chamber to a suction inducing apparatus such as the intake manifold of an engine, an atmospheric air vent communicatin with the aforesaid chamber and adapted w en open to the passage of air to neutralize the sub-atmospheric pressures induced in the chamber, and means automatically controlled lby the heat generated by the operation of the engine for closing said air vent.

5. In a device of the character described, a nipple adapted for insertion vin the eX- haust manifold of an engine, a casing eX- tending from said nipple, a threaded plug engaging the upper end of said casing and closing the same except for a communication therethrough to a source of water supply located below the level of the casing, and a communication therethrough to the atmosphere, a connection from the chamber to the .intake manifold of the engine, and an automatically controlled valve actuated by a thermostat for/opening and closin the -atmospheric communication, where y the chamber of the' casing will be subjected to sub-atmospheric ressures for drawing water into the cham' er from the low level water supply or to atmospheric pressures for neutrahzingthe suction of the chamber.

FRANK H. `HARRIMAN. 

